Against the backdrop of global advocacy for environmental protection and sustainable development, new energy vehicles have become the core force driving the transformation of the automotive industry. Meanwhile, aluminum components, with their numerous advantages, have been deeply integrated into the development process of new energy vehicles. The two complement each other and jointly outline the grand blueprint of future automobiles.
Aluminum components facilitate the lightweighting of new energy vehicles
For new energy vehicles, lightweighting is the key path to enhancing performance and extending driving range. The limited driving range has always been one of the important factors restricting the promotion of new energy vehicles, and aluminum components play a significant role in alleviating this "range anxiety". The density of aluminium is only one third that of steel, which enables aluminium components to significantly reduce the weight of a car while ensuring structural strength.
Take the body structure of new energy vehicles as an example. By using extruded aluminum profiles and plates, the weight of the vehicle body has been significantly reduced. The Tesla Model S is a successful case. Its body is made of aluminum alloy materials, and the overall weight of the vehicle is reduced by about 40% compared with similar models with traditional steel bodies. This lightweight design brings many benefits. On the one hand, after reducing the vehicle's weight, the inertia that the car needs to overcome during driving decreases, and its acceleration performance is enhanced. Whether it is frequent starts and stops on urban roads or overtaking on highways, it can respond more nimbly to the driver's instructions. On the other hand, and more crucially, lightweighting can effectively enhance the energy efficiency of new energy vehicles and increase their driving range. According to a research report by DBS Securities, for every 10 kilograms reduction in the overall weight of a new energy vehicle, its driving range can increase by 2.5 kilometers. That is to say, for every 1kg of aluminum used in a car, a weight reduction effect of 2kg can be achieved, which is of great significance for enhancing the market competitiveness of new energy vehicles.
The Application of aluminum components in the Core Systems of new energy Vehicles
Battery system: As a core component of new energy vehicles, the battery pack is not only the main source of vehicle weight, but its performance also directly affects the vehicle's range, safety and service life. Aluminum battery packs demonstrate unique advantages in this regard. Firstly, aluminum battery packs can effectively reduce weight, which plays a positive role in improving the overall energy efficiency and driving range of the vehicle. Secondly, the excellent thermal conductivity of aluminium enables the battery pack to dissipate heat better during operation, thereby enhancing the cooling efficiency of the battery. A stable working temperature helps to extend the battery's service life, reduce safety hazards caused by overheating, and enhance the safety of new energy vehicles. In addition, the aluminum alloy battery casing also features low comprehensive application cost and high safety, and can integrate the battery cooling circulation system. Therefore, it has been favored by many automobile manufacturers.
Motors and electronic control systems: Motors and electronic control systems can be regarded as the "heart" of new energy vehicles. Aluminum, with its excellent electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, has become an ideal material for these systems. Aluminum motors and electronic control systems can enhance the operational efficiency of the system, reduce energy loss, and make the power output of new energy vehicles more efficient and stable. Meanwhile, good heat dissipation performance helps to extend the service life of the system and reduce maintenance costs. In addition, the lightweight feature of aluminum components also makes the installation and operation of motors and electronic control systems more convenient, further enhancing the overall performance of new energy vehicles.
Coordinated development promotes industrial upgrading
The coordinated development of aluminum components and new energy vehicles has had a profound impact on the entire automotive industry and promoted its upgrading.
From the perspective of technological innovation, the combination of the two has prompted automakers and material suppliers to continuously increase their investment in research and development. On the one hand, to meet the demands of new energy vehicles for lightweight and high performance, aluminum material enterprises are constantly developing new types of aluminum alloy materials, optimizing the manufacturing process of aluminum components, and enhancing the strength, corrosion resistance and processing accuracy of products. For instance, by adding specific alloying elements, high-strength aluminum alloys have been developed, which can meet the strength requirements of the body structural components of new energy vehicles under extreme conditions such as collisions while ensuring lightweight. On the other hand, new energy vehicle enterprises are also constantly exploring how to better apply aluminum components to optimize the design and overall performance of vehicles. This interactive technological innovation has promoted the improvement of the entire automotive industry's technological level.
In terms of market expansion, the rapid growth of the new energy vehicle market has brought a vast market space for aluminum components. With the continuous improvement of consumers' acceptance of new energy vehicles, the sales of new energy vehicles have been on the rise. According to the China Association of Electric Vehicles, the sales of new energy vehicles are expected to reach 16.5 million units (including exports) in 2025, with a growth rate approaching 30%, and the domestic penetration rate of new energy vehicles will reach 55%. Such a huge market scale is bound to drive a significant increase in the demand for aluminum components. Meanwhile, the successful application of aluminum components in new energy vehicles has also attracted more traditional automakers to increase the proportion of aluminum components in their products, further expanding the market application scope of aluminum components.
Aluminum components and new energy vehicles will be closely linked and advance in tandem in the future development of automobiles. With the continuous advancement of technology and the in-depth development of the industry, they will continue to bring more innovation and transformation to the automotive industry, laying a solid foundation for building a green, efficient and intelligent future mobility system.
